Meant to Be?
by DigimonDestined
Summary: Erza and Jellal both know that they were never meant to be... Well screw that! They'd been in thousands of fights, how hard could a battle of love be? Jerza story, a little Miraxus.
1. Drinking Brings Good Things

**I will be using manga/anime moments for inspiration so the story isn't going to make sense unless you read the manga/anime. With that said, this story won't really have an order unless I chose to connect chapters.  
**

 **Few minor changes, example: Ultear and Lahar are alive and well.**

 **This is based off Chapter 462.5: Merry Christmas! (The story only makes sense if you read the chapter).  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Drinking Brings Good Things**

The girls, Erza, Lucy, Carla, Levy, Juvia and even Wendy had drunk themselves ridiculous while Gajeel, Natsu and Gray simply watched in growing horror. They had all experienced how extremely awful the girls would get when drunk before, but this time was worse than usual. Erza forced them to play the guild master game and successfully gotten most of them naked, unconscious, in extreme pain and/or too exhausted to kill her.

But then Gray had gotten the guild master stick. Time for a little revenge. _Erza needs to walk home completely naked._

He had shouted out his order as the master of this turn and everyone watched Erza with vague relief and satisfaction that there was no way Erza would follow through, meaning the game could finally end.

But being in a drunk stupor, Titania simply complied, whipping off her clothes without care.

Gajeel covered his eyes and backed away blindly. "Whoa! The hell do you think you're doing, Erza!?" Natsu did the same, yelling, "Quit it!"

As drunk as Lucy was, she tried her best to sober up and convince her friend not to embarrass herself. "Erza, are you serious?!"

Erza smiled stupidly and said, "It's been a fun party, everyone!"

Gray desperately reached for her, shouting, "Stop it Erza! I was just yanking your chain! Forgive me!" He grabbed her by throwing an arm over her chest but she simply stuck her hand and pushed off his head, while simultaneously kicking at his lower area.

"Grow a pair, will ya?" She laughed, watching him groan. "I'm going home and that's that!"

This time, there wasn't an answer because everyone was strewn over the living floor, too exhausted to pick themselves up and chase after her. So she exited Lucy's house and entered into the cold of the night.

Once outside, she muttered to herself. "As expected, it's rather nippy. That's right, I'm not wearing clothes." She blinked once, turned towards the direction of her house and with heart-stopping surprise, gasped.

Right before her was the one boy- no man that could change her so much, so quickly, she couldn't recognize herself. He was her best friend, the person she trusted most, the one who could understand her the best. He was also her first love... And the one that could never happen.

Jellal didn't react at first, his eyes dark, brooding brown; he must of been lost in thought. The red tattoo under his right eye seemed to glow faintly in the cool night.

Suddenly, she was completely aware of how this looked to him. She covered her hands over her chest with embarrassment and stuttered, "Ah...No...This is..."

She dropped to the ground, tucking her upper body into her knees to try and hide herself as best as she could. "It's not what you think! Really... D-Don't look!"

Jellal finally reacted, his cheeks reddening and eyes widening. He opened his mouth, looked away with a strange emotion drawn on his face. Was it disappointment? Disgust? Why couldn't she read it? Was it because she was drunk or because she had never seen him with that expression? That would make sense... He had never been disgusted in her before...

Her heart ached. She couldn't take it if he told her that he hated her and never wanted to see her again. She didn't even want to see herself again or she'd have to admit to what a failure she had been.

However Jellal merely knelt down, shrugged off his thick, layered coat and draped it over her shoulders. The warmth seeped into her bare back but as grateful as she was, Erza couldn't bear to look at him. "I'm ashamed..."

Jellal got a little closer and gently said,"Have you been drinking?"

"Uhh... It seems that way." She honestly couldn't tell if she had but it sure felt like it.

Trying to find an excuse, Erza blurted out, "Everyone was getting all flirty with one another and I felt left out...Guess I got kind of jealous... That's all I can remember." Her thoughts flitted back to what she could remember from the past two hours. She remembered Carla treating Happy and Panther Lily like sled dogs, Levy giggling to Gajeel, Lucy lying and purring on Natsu, Juvia crying into Gray's arms... Where did she fit in?

She looked back at him, hoping he'd somehow understand and find it in him to forgive her.

He simply smiled, eyes gentle and lightly teasing. "My, my."

She shrugged, sheepishly, not knowing what to say.

He bent down besides her, and murmured, "I'll escort you home. Come on..."

She tried to push him away, tried to protest, "No... That's..."

He ignored her. "You must be freezing. _Come closer._ " Jellal offered his hand and she took it gratefully, pulling herself up. Then he put an arm around her to help guide her.

"Mmm..." She breathed in his scent, so familiar, having not changed once in all the years she had known him. It was masculine, hinting of his power, but also sweet and comforting.

"It is... pretty warm..." Erza leaned in closer to him, closing her eyes. His spiky blue hair was tickling her forehead but she didn't move her head away.

He began lightly pressuring her to move forwards and she complied, shuffling step by step.

"I'm taking you back to your house. Okay?" She didn't answer him. "Erza?"

Somehow, it seemed she had fallen asleep; her feet weren't moving anymore and the redhead was mostly relying on Jellal's arm to stay upright.

The blue haired mage bit his lip, trying hard not to laugh and wake her up. "Oh Erza," He murmured affectionately. "You never could hold your liquor."

But his amusement was been overrode by worry. _What do I do now_? _If I tried to carry her home, I'd probably end up touching her somewhere... by accident, as per usual._ How else was he going to get her home if not by carrying her? Maybe telekinesis or teleportation? But he had a feeling that moving her with his mind or teleporting her would make her hangover worse the next day.

"I guess we're walking, Scarlet." He bent down, curled one arm behind her back and the other, under her bent legs, then lifted the female mage up as gently as he could.

"I'm naked, you pervert." She slurred, sounding a lot more drunk than she had from a few minutes ago. Although her sudden speech had surprised him, the reason he had almost dropped her was because of the truth of her statement. His coat was pressed between his arms and her back but her chest was completely available for the world's viewing.

Jellal's head whipped into the opposite quickly and his body froze completely. "Shit," He swore, blushing hard. "I-I-I'm so sorry. I thought you were asleep." What the hell was he supposed to do now? Make her walk? She'd probably fall asleep against his arm again. But he couldn't continue to carry Erza either, with her still buck-naked.

"That's an excuse to feel me up, eh?"

Jellal was sure his tattoo was now camouflaged with the rest of his red face. He reeled backwards, while still carrying her. "No! I-I wasn't trying to touch you!"

"You're a liar."

Jellal flinched. This was a true fact. He had lied, killed Simon and hurt her so many times, he couldn't believe they were still friends. He hated that about her. She was too forgiving. He didn't deserve a second chance. With the one bitter truth she had said so far, he decided on getting to her house the quicker way.

"I'm sorry Erza but screw your hangover," He growled, bending down to teleport. "You might feel a stronger headache than normal tomorrow but I promise you, it'll be better than me carrying you the rest of the way home."

"I want to see your home." She pouted.

He swore again. He could take on his whole guild with ease but he couldn't figure out how to keep a girl safe and get her home. _Why didn't I think of this earlier? It's not like I know where she lives... I guess I really do have to take her to my home..._

"Fine. Grab on." He decided. She obediently listened, wrapping both of her arms around him tightly. A purple magic circle erupted at his feet and wind began blowing upwards, ruffling their hair. "Home." He closed his eyes, letting the blinding light envelop the both of them. When he opened them again, they were in his apartment.

* * *

"Shit." He cussed again, his blush only brightening.

Erza noticed it too and dizzily staggered, pushing off Jellal's shoulders to stand.

"Why's your underwear on the floor?" She slurred.

"None of your business." He would kill himself before telling her he slept in... a natural way. Gray's habits were growing on him. "Come on, let's go to my extra room. It's got a nice bed, fit for a queen..." _Ultear had me get it for Meredy but the girl is more than enough resourceful.  
_

Erza didn't hear or didn't care because she asked, "Is this my house?"

His mouth curved upwards into a smile and he shook his head."Nope, it's the guildhall."

Erza seemed to be satisfied with this answer; she let Jellal grab her hand and he led her to his room.

 _She must be tired,_ He thought, watching Erza get in and slip under the covers while still wearing his coat. "Comfy?" He asked, yawning. She just closed her eyes and turned away from him so he walked away.

"Jellal?"

He groaned inwardly. Arguing with her had been exhausting and he didn't have the energy to go another round. "Yes?"

"I'm scared."

Curiosity wandered into his thoughts. _Of what? The fairy queen can be afraid? Or are mood swings just another part of her drinking side effects?  
_

"Of what?"

"This... This place. It's not the guild hall." She turned back towards his direction, looking up at him with wide, fear induced eyes, looking for reassurance.

"I was just joking," He sighed, rubbing his forehead tiredly. "It's my house. You wanted to come here right?"

"Yes. But I'm scared." She looked up with her big, pleading eyes, the same ones he had first seen from so many years ago. _Damn it._ "Will you stay with me?"

"Fine." He exhaled hard. It wasn't his fault that he couldn't say no to her but he was so tired, it would be hard not to fall asleep himself. "I'll stay until you sleep."

She was quiet for a moment but then she said, "Can you stay with me in my bed?"

He opened his mouth, then closed it again while looking around for help that wasn't going to be given.

What was he supposed to say now? Normally, Erza was extremely stubborn, but when she was drunk? That was a whole different level. "Okay." He sighed.

He'd change when he got back to his own bed.

She still didn't take his coat off but Jellal just let her be. Then, he slipped onto the bed, gently shouldered her to his left so he had enough space, and lay there, listening to the rhythm of her soft breathing. "Good night."

"Good night." Erza shifted a little closer to him, her back pressing against his arm. He didn't pull away this time; he was too tired and if he complained, it would probably set her off again.

The blue haired mage closed his eyes, reluctantly allowing sleep to wash over him.

 **I promise the next chapter will have more detail! Please Review!  
**


	2. Never Mess With Cobra

**Sorry, I've had writer's block for a while now... Anyways, feeling inspired by the recent manga chapters and the little bits of Jerza in them, here's the second chapter! (I PROMISE, this is a good chapter!) Oh, and after you read this chapter, share your thoughts on the metaphors I included? I'm still trying to improve. Little more language at the end.**

 **The format's a little weird; the extra lines there are just to make it easier to read.**

 **Yeah, I knew Jellal didn't technically have 'teleportation magic' but making him more awesome than he already is, is fun. :)**

 **Hope you enjoy, cuz I actually really did like writing this chapter.**

 **Chapter 2: Never Mess With Cobra**

Her head throbbed, with stabs of sharp pain. Why did it hurt so much? Erza opened her eyes slowly, trying to figure out whether she had cracked her head on something really hard, or she was just over reacting.

But before she could identify the reason for her pain, her eyes were practically pierced by light. " .Hell." She mumbled, shielding her eyes with both hands, as she tried to blink it away. Her head, decided to be helpful by throbbing harder.

Nope. She definitely wasn't imaging the pulsing explosions in her brain, but she felt fine, otherwise. What kind of job left you with a headache but no other wounds?

Erza shifted onto her other side, turning away from that wretched window, with light still shining through. Her headache be damned, the female wizard was still exhausted. Although she was unsure of what job she had taken last night, surely it was alright for her to sleep in, just a little. Just to recover a little from its tolling effects on her…

She blinked drearily, yawning. Even her headache wasn't going to stop her from going back to sleep….

But her heart crashed abruptly and her chest tightened, sealing off her airway, robbing her of the ability to scream. All of her drowsiness was instantly washed away; even her headache was forgotten, as her brain was swamped with dozens of thoughts and panicked questions.

Why, was _HE,_

IN.

HER.

BED.

Hastily, Erza pushed off the bed to stand, to try and put some space between them, but being as shocked as she was, she stumbled over her feet and crashed into the drawer to her left, sending it wobbling back and forth. With her mind still frozen on the situation on hand, even if she wanted to, she couldn't force herself to just reach out and straighten it.

 _Jellal._

 _In my bed._

Her gaze flickered to his face once more, and she was immediately swallowed up by her vivid memories. There were so many times when she had thought she had lost him… First, at the Tower of Heaven… Then when the rune knights had taken him away...

Erza knew that it made their shared moments all the more precious to her, but what was he doing here? Suddenly a thought crossed her mind and a flaming-bright red streaked across her cheeks.

 _We-we didn't- no, this is Jellal, Erza._

She was sure her face was as red as her hair, because the idea of fooling around with Jellal was _so_ ridiculous. He was her oldest friend, the one she had turned to during her hardest times, the one who always stayed hopeful and sure for a brighter future, the one who had always put everyone else before him.

Her heart ached with sorrow she had thought was gone. Jellal had rescued her when their captors had taken her… But when he was possessed, she hadn't managed to do the same for him….

That just proved her point; Jellal was _definitely not_ hers-

But her mind argued, and in a flash, took her back to the beach where he had fallen on her… And the sky turned golden… He wiped away her tears, pulled her towards him…

 _Snap out of it! Why are you thinking about that right now?_ Erza scolded herself, shaking her head firmly to dismiss the memory. Her gaze turned to Jellal.

The male wizard looked so peaceful, sleeping soundlessly; she'd never gotten the chance to see him like this before… She could even hear his soft breathing and light snoring. Subconsciously, Erza leaned in onto the bed and reached for his cheek. Jellal's only reaction was his shoulders rising slightly, inhaling.

But once her fingers made contact with his soft skin, she couldn't stop herself from pushing his bangs to the side of his face, then tracing his tattoo. She silently watched, enjoying how the corners of his mouth curved upwards slightly in a mild smile.

She rolled her eyes. That smile. It was the one he had given her, before he had been possessed. And it meant that Jellal was his old self again.

But as she watched him, she finally noticed that the blanket of the bed weren't covered in strawberries, just a simple gray. Triggering a sudden realization, she leapt backwards.

 _Crap! How did I not see this before?_ Erza scanned her surroundings, taking in aspects of the unfamiliar room. This obviously wasn't her bedroom. Or house. She looked down, fear rising in her system. Or the black shirt she was currently wearing.

Was it all his?

Had she been wrong? Did they really sleep- No, no, no, no there was _no way-_

"Erza?"

* * *

Jellal sat up, the silk blanket sliding off his chest. The bluenette scooted closer to the edge of the bed, unsure of what he was supposed to say now. He couldn't imagine how this looked to her.

He blurted out, "Um. You were drunk- and I lent you a shirt."

Jellal was sure his face was on fire. _Oh, and you were naked-and I dressed you._

He turned away, hoping his blue hair falling into his face would hide his expression.

"So I brought you home. To my home. But um, you asked me to stay with you. So, that's why we were, um. In the bed. Together." He raised his hands, worry for her reaction rearing up in his chest. "I swear, on my life, nothing else happened."

A dozen of different emotions flashed across her face, lightning fast, one after the other.

Jellal wasn't sure what most of them were, but he swore, for a slight moment, Erza looked disappointed. Before he could tell if he imagined it, she averted her eyes from his, and quietly murmured, "Um, okay."

She cleared her throat and in a stronger voice, she said, "So um… this is your place?"

"Ye-yeah." Jellal was partly relieved she changed the topic so quickly, but the other part of him wondered why she didn't ask him for more details. Was it that she didn't really care? Or maybe she was just as embarrassed?

Erza pulled at a strand of stray hair, looking away as she tried to find an easier way then directly asking: _Are you being honest? Or are you just trying to spare me from the embarrassment of knowing what we really did…_ How did she not remember anything from last night?

"Actually, Ultear and Meredy made me get it for our guild, but calling it my house is a mistake. They use it a lot more often than I do." Jellal's gaze flickered from wall to wall, to the little hints of Erik's presence and Meredy's belongings.

He cleared his throat, trying to find something to say that would lighten things up. "So, uh... How's your head?" Before Erza could reply, he rushed on. "I teleported us back to here, last night, but transportation usually makes hangovers worse… I'm sorry…"

She blinked once. Then her mouth curved into a coy, knowing smile. "And how exactly do you know that Jellal?"

The male mage broke into a sheepish smile, before admitting, "From personal experience."

Erza giggled. His confession had helped ease up the tension a little…

"Truth be told, I'd almost forgotten about it." _Because when you find yourself sleeping beside your oldest friend, it tends to wipe out every other thought._

"So um," She smiled shyly. "Thanks for carrying me home." Although she had no memory of last night, she was definitely grateful. What if it had been some creep that took her home?

"No-no problem."

"Although I must say, hearing that you've gotten drunk before is surprising."

Jellal grinned. "Once you get to know Meredy and Ultear, you learn that anything can happen. Once, for as a dare, they made Erik and I each do twelve shots."

She laughed again and he couldn't help but smile too. Seeing her like this… well, it was good to know that she was happy.

"How are you still alive?"

"Well, I felt like I was dead the next day..."

Erza laughed again, her shoulders gently shaking. "Your guild sounds almost as fun as mine." She tilted her head to the side. "I'd like to meet with your guild one day, just for fun."

The redhead softly said, "And you." She shyly looked away, the slightest bit of red staining her cheeks. "Maybe we could go for a drink sometime…"

A flare of happiness burned through him. He wasn't sure whether she meant 'we' as in both of their guilds or just the two of them, but-

"Sure. I-I'd like that."

Excitement glittered in her warm eyes and she smiled. "Okay then." Playfully, she poked him in his shoulder. "Don't forget about it."

 _I definitely won't._ Jellal simply returned her smile.

Erza looked away.

 _"So… Would it be accurate to say that I'm speaking with the Jellal I knew as a child?"_

 _"…I'd be happy if you thought of it that way. But given my crimes, I won't blame you if you keep your distance."_

When she escaped from the Tower, she'd seared his smile into her memory. And the one he had just given her now was completely identical.

 _Jellal, you idiot, of course you're still the same guy..._

Erza blinked. Had he said something? Hoping she hadn't accidently ignored him, she quickly said, "How's the scratch on your neck healing? It uh- looks like it might get infected."

* * *

Jellal blinked and then began feeling for the said marking. _Why the sudden topic change? Did I say something wrong?_ "Cobra and I sparred last night but I thought I'd cleaned most of them." Once his fingers touched the patch of red, he grimaced.

Flicking his hand outward commandingly, his cleaning kit immediately floated from out of the bathroom, across the bedroom, past Erza and towards his lap.

But the scarlet haired mage stuck out her hand, grasping it in midair.

"Allow me. I can see it."

Jellal opened his mouth to object. But then he closed it. There wasn't really a valid reason he could use to deny her, other than being a little degraded to have her clean a simple sparing wound. Although, she did have a point.

So he watched with the slightest of wary as Erza stepped closer, then got onto her knees. She placed a hand on his cheek so that her palm molded against his jawline, then tilted his head to the right for better access.

Jellal closed his eyes, praying that would erase his blush.

She was so close to him. It was just like on the beach… She reached for his face, pulled him in… But this time, he could do it, couldn't he? Just lean in and kiss her? He hesitated.

Then decided against it. This morning could get more awkward that it had already been. A part of him was relieved, but the other part of him pouted.

He wouldn't deny that this morning had been awkward, but he enjoyed her company. Wryly, he smiled to himself. It was just like it had been back then… Back at the Tower of Heaven, even with the shit going on in their lives, being with their friends, being together had made it worth going through.

Jellal opened his eyes again, watching as Erza tenderly swiped a cotton ball with antiseptic over his wound. Erza really had changed. She'd matured, become more capable-even dangerous. But he also knew, under all her tough armor, she was still the same girl he had fallen in love with.

Suddenly, he was fully aware that the dark green shirt he lent her was a loose fit, and the corner sliding off the curve of her shoulder revealed some of her soft, milky skin, while the scarlet hair he remembered so vividly was flowing over her other shoulder.

The longing to reach over and touch her skin, twist his fingers into her hair, kiss those strawberry pink, soft lips of hers rushed back into him and again, he pondered on whether kissing her here would be a stupid move, or a good one.

At that moment, Erza snapped the kit close and collected the used cotton ball. "All done."

"O-Okay." Again, his balls magically disappeared, but the flush of red across his cheeks didn't. "Thanks Erza."

The requip wizard placed her hands on her hips, teasing, "We're doing thank you now?" As he opened his mouth, about to apologize, she let out a gentle laugh. "I'm just teasing."

"O-Oh. Okay."

Erza's smile faded a little. Jellal was acting strange again… "I guess I'll get going?"

He abruptly stood up. "Do you want me to take you back to your guild?"

She shook her head. "I'll be fine on my own, but thanks anyways." She turned to leave and a voice inside his head inwardly screamed, _Asshole, even if she is capable, you have to go and be a gentleman! Walk her to her guild anyway!_

Erza turned back towards him, smiling again.

"And don't forget. We're getting drinks soon."

Jellal honestly promised, "I won't." He knew he was right to not go with her. She was a strong, fully-grown woman. And besides, his thoughts were stuck on a fact.

 _She brought it up again! That means just us, right? Not her guildmates? Shit, wait… she said it after I mentioned her guild._ He sighed to himself. Why was this so hard to interpret? Ancient runes were easier to read.

Erza walked away, questioning herself. Jellal had just offered to walk her home…. Wait, was she supposed to say yes?

She slowed, casting a look backwards but in her heart, she knew it was already too late.

"Well, I guess it doesn't really matter."

She smirked to herself. "He already promised me a drink. And he is well aware of what happens to people who break their promises to me."

* * *

"Well, well… That was interesting. I never thought anyone would be able to bring the great Titania to her knees."

Jellal whirled, sending a book flying off his shelf, aiming it for Cobra's head but the other mage simply smirked, step siding.

"Shut up Cobra!"

"Why?" He asked innocently. "Oh! Were you two doing dirty things?"

"No, you asshole!"

"In the mood to swear today?" He smiled mildly. "Well, I'll need to write this down. ' _Erza gets Jellal so flustered-'"_

"You bastard!" The blue haired mage shouted, firing a bolt of lightning at the dragon slayer but Cobra just ducked, laughing.

"Cobra, just fucking tell me what she was thinking!"

His laughter paused and he tilted his head, as if considering Jellal's offer. "Sorry, memory's a little hazy. It's like I had a hangover and forgot all about it… Guess I'll tell you the next time we get a drink-"

"You son-of-a-bitch!" Jellal roared. Cobra simply laughed as he fled, delightfully yelling comments.

And for the rest of the day, Erza was left with looking forwards to their next meeting, Cobra continued his teasing, and Jellal made a few more promises.

 **Well, there it is! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Can anyone guess what the promises were? If you said, 'Jellal promised to send Cobra, straight to hell.' you are correct! xD**

 **Please review! Thanks!**


	3. Ultear Is Daring

**_Hi! I made a couple things up here so it may not make too much sense. (For example, chapter one and two take place when it still snows… Let's assume that was a late snow, late March?) But yeah- continue reading my friends! Thank you!_**

 ** _Chapter 3: Ultear Is Daring  
_**

* * *

 _Hey Erza, Meredy here! Our guild destroyed Nightfrost, one of the biggest dark guilds in Magnolia yesterday so Jellal's promised us all a week off and a celebration. We were supposed to be dropping by Fairytail but Ultear says it's too risky. Instead, we invite you to join us- your guildmates are invited to celebrate with us as well (surely Master Makrov will've had heard this news by the time you get this)_

 _We haven't fully finished our preparations for our 'little' (That's what Jellal says, but he knows us better than that!) party yet so Ultear and I were wondering if you'd care to meet with us a little earlier and help us decide on the entertainment and decorations. If you're willing, head to the East Forest. We'll find you there._

\- _From Meredy_

 _P.S. Bring a pen and some paper, you'll probably need to jot some things down._

When Erza read Meredy's letter, her first thought was how recklessness Jellal was being, putting his guildmates into danger like this. _Dropping by Fairytail?_ What was he _thinking?_ He-no, they all were convicts, escaped convicts. And if any of them were caught, there'd be a difficult mess that she was sure nobody would want to sort through.

But that responsible voice was swiftly pushed to the back of her mind, allowing completely different thoughts to consume her attention.

Like the fact her current heartbeat could pass off as a metronome, beating unusually rapidly, thumping loud in her ears.

Jellal was coming back to Magnolia already? _No, no, no Erza, Crime Sorciere,_ she reminded herself sternly. _Not just Jellal, Jellal and his guild._

Her self-reprimand was in complete vain. Had she reread the letter, she'd still only be able to picture and think about one person. Jellal.

 _But I have good reason to, don't I?_ It was naturally her first instinct to think of Jellal. No wait; actually, it was just curiosity, p _ure curiosity_ as to why he was back in Magnolia already.

After all, it had only been a week since their last encounter...

A little while later, it didn't matter.

Erza met Meredy and Ultear in the forest, and let them lead her to a secluded area with new growing grass, protected from sight by vast maple trunks and their rigid branches that were just beginning to bud. Their little spot was accompanied by a burbling creek that occasionally sent water over its boundaries and splashing onto the rocks that lined its edges.

After half an hour of conversation, a discussion on decorations and joking around, Erza was completely carefree. Hanging out with Meredy and Ultear was nothing like being with her guildmates- this was far more enjoyable.

Lying down on her stomach, Titania watched with childish interest before experimentally dipping her fingers into the creek. She relaxed as the water swirled around her fingers, tugging at them lightly, begging her to submerge the rest of her hand. She complied, bending her elbow over the edge of the creek so her hand could drift in the water and the nipping cold was soon forgotten. _It really is a nice feeling._ The water tickled her palm as it passed between her loose, willing fingers. But a couple more moments later, Meredy broke in.

"So do you want to know the details?"

Erza raised her head from the creek.

Meredy shrugged. "You know, of our attack on Nightfrost?"

Remembering, Erza nodded, light embarrassment running through her. "I'm sorry, I forgot to congratulate you on your victory." She brushed back a stray hair with her free hand. "So how did it go? Are you all okay? Uninjured?"

Meredy feigned nonchalance with a shrug. "Well Racer demolished half of their guild house and Cobra basically melted the other half so the rest of us destroyed whatever we could get our hands on."

Erza arched an eyebrow. _That sounds familiar._ "Was it intentional? I mean does this happen often?"

Ultear laughed. "Racer and Cobra kept bickering over who was stronger so to make them stop, Jellal challenged them to a contest. Whoever caused the most destruction the fastest would be crowned strongest."

Erza conjured a picture of the destruction in her head, replaced Crime Sorciere with her guildmates and frowned. _So. Much Wreckage._ "Aren't you worried? What happens if the council members are notified and they track you down?"

"We did a messier job than usual," Ultear admitted. "But the old farts won't bother with us while we're eradicating dark guilds. And anyways, Jellal cleaned up the scene with Grand Chariot."

Erza's mental image was updated. "So now, they won't be able to find any evidence that you were there."

Meredy flashed her teeth in a smirk. "Nope. Just rubble. Lots and lots of rubble."

A moment passed before Erza asked, "Were they strong? I didn't think Jellal would have to use one of his strong spells."

Ultear shrugged. "I think it was just to clean up traces of Cobra and Racer's work." She paused for a moment. "In fact, Jellal knows so many kinds of magic... He mastered fire, wind, water and earth years ago- I think he's practicing with lightning now."

Meredy laughed. "I don't know… Remember last week when he set Cobra on fire?"

Before Erza could even ask, Ultear explained, "Cobra thought it would be a great idea to tease Jellal after overhearing his thoughts on some girl-"

Erza stiffened. She didn't like hearing the word _girl_ and Jellal in the same sentence. In fact, she downright _hated_ it. _HatedHatedHatedHatedHated._ It didn't matter that he and her were- they-they weren't- no, wait, there was no _'they',_ but…

 _Never mind._

She just hated it. But… There really wasn't anything she could do about it… So Erza tried to discard her care by taking a deep breath.

She didn't think Meredy and Ultear noticed he sudden, rigid change in her posture but Erza also didn't notice the smug glance they shared.

"-or something like that. But we all know how uptight Jellal can be…. Twenty minutes later, he pretty much had Cobra crying for mercy."

Erza made herself choke out a forced laugh. "Ha. Is that so?" But she really didn't care about Cobra. All she wanted to do was press Ultear for more details about Jellal and this… _Girl…_

Meredy fidgeted with her cloak. "Well it wasn't the first time, and it definitely won't be the last. Poor Cobra."

Erza made herself unclench her fingers. "What do you mean?"

"Whenever the two fight, they fight _hard_. And although Cobra loses every time, he's never afraid to go again. He's pretty brave for an idiot." A smile danced on her face and it was a moment before she cleared her throat. "Getting any leverage against Jellal is pretty hard, battle or otherwise."

From Ultear's smirk, Erza got the feeling that rule didn't apply to either her or Meredy.

"You know, Meredy," Ultear's voice turned to an imitation of honey. Smooth. Sweet. _Almost_ innocent. But undeniably sly. "If you keep talking about Cobra like that…Jellal's going to get more ideas about the two of you."

Some of Erza's fury dissolved, replaced with confusion."What- what do you mean?"

"Jellal thinks that Meredy and Cobra secretly dating."

That sounded a little farfetched to Erza, from what she knew of both Meredy and Erik. "Is it true?"

Meredy huffed. "No. Of course not. Jellal is an idiot too." Her gaze slid to Ultear then back to Erza and her voice softened. "He's even dumber than Cobra."

Erza bit her lip uncomfortably. _Isn't that the truth._

A long moment of silence passed before Ultear picked up on her discomfort. "Well he kind of has a reason to think Meredy and Cobra are dating. One day, Meredy picked out a mission and dragged Cobra along. Just Cobra." Her mouth curved upwards in a smile, remembering. "Jellal threw a huge fit. And the moment Cobra returned, Jellal grabbed him and they had a 'talk'."

Meredy grinned. "Listening to them was fun." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I think out of all his threats, this was the one time Cobra took it serious. For the rest of the month, if I entered the same room he was in, he jumped out of his seat and ran out the door. And of course when I was already in a room, he wouldn't enter until I left."

Ultear shook her head, smiling. "It seems Jellal's been developing some overprotective paternal instincts."

Erza couldn't help but smile back. "That sounds promising. He'll make a great father one day." Abruptly, her face blazed with heat and she yelled, "No, I don't mean with-"

Meredy laughed, eyes twinkling. "I agree, you two will be great parents!" Her eyes glinted. "Now, how many children are we talking about?"

Erza bit her tongue, still blushing fiercely but Ultear laughed shook her head again. "Poor Jelly will never get there because neither of them will make the first move."

Mortified, she covered her face while objecting, "I'm right here! Could we not discuss this-"

"Well you definitely should tap him."

 **"** ULTEAR!"

"Don't worry; I'm not into him or anything. But still, that man has a _nice_ _body_ -"

"You're making Erza blush! _Well, even harder than she was already blushing."_

"If that's her way of agreeing since she's seen it up close-"

"ULTEAR!"

"-that's fine with me."

"Gods!" Erza groaned into her hands. "You guys are so-" She broke off, her face still as red as her hair.

A few moments passed. Then:

"Erza, we're just trying to help you." Meredy fingered a loose thread in her cloak. "You know at the beach? Did you know he was lying about a fiancé?"

"I-"She was caught off guard. _How did Meredy know?_ "I- yeah, I knew."

"And you know this party is just an excuse for him to see you?"

Erza's mouth moved but nothing came out. _What are you talking about?_ It sounded like the cheesy, bad plotline out of a fairytail… The kind where the guy does something unexpectedly romantic, gets the girl and then they all live happily after ever.

Ultear looked away, a wry smile on her lips. "I don't think she knew that, Meredy."

The bubbly pink haired girl shrugged, unembarrassed. "Well she deserved to know."

"I don't think you guys know what you're talking about." She finally stammered. But still, her heart fluttered at that impossible possibility. Could the party really be an excuse to meet with her?

"You said Cobra heard Jellal thinking about some girl! Obviously that means he's not- he's not interested in me."

Meredy and Ultear shared an odd look between them as if there was a joke in this ridiculously unfunny situation.

"Erza," Ultear's voice was patient like she was explaining to a three year old. "It's really obvious to everyone other than the two of you that you're in love with each other. And just because he hasn't said it out loud yet, doesn't change the fact he wishes he could be with you."

All her embarrassment was erased and different emotions flooded into her. Including hope. She whispered, "Maybe…"

But if it was hope, it was immediately crushed by cruel, vicious realism.

 _Maybe what Erza? Maybe if Ultear hadn't possessed him, maybe if you saved him back then… Or maybe if the council hadn't taken him away, maybe if you'd fought them off … Would he be with you?_

She let out a sigh so quiet it was nearly lost over the creek. "Maybe we just weren't meant to be."

" _Weren't_ Erza?" Meredy prodded gently. "What about now?"

She didn't answer. How could she?

 _Meredy isn't wrong._

 _I love him. I love him for his flaws, for our past, for how willing he is to atone for his sins, how selfless he is to sacrifice his happiness over his duty- I love everything about him._

But Jellal… Erza knew he was punishing himself for crimes. She understood him. She admired him. At the same time, she wanted to shake him to his senses. _I've already forgiven you. When will you learn to forgive yourself?_

Ultear grasped her hand supportively and Erza was reminded she wasn't alone. "You don't need to think about it right now. But think about it. Okay?"

Numbly, she nodded. A dark voice inside her laughed dryly without humor. That would be all she could do. How could she not think about it?

* * *

Cobra counted off. "Okay, so the skill contests start in the morning. Intermission. Finish the contests. Lunch is an hour, at one. Then the tournament. Intermission. Then the shows?"

Jellal couldn't help but scowl as if Cobra had reached over and slapped him. Even though he eventually caught up, he didn't manage to beat any information out of the dragon slayer, who _still_ refused to tell him anything.

Thankfully, Angel rolled her eyes and nodded for him. "That sounds about right. I'll make copies of the schedules in twenty minutes." She turned to Jellal. "How much are we going to need to buy food? Some of them eat like monsters."

Jellal named a price that made Midnight's jaw drop. "Who are these lunatics?"

He smiled. "Fairytail."

* * *

After a couple minutes of polite, awkward and half-hearted conversation Meredy and Ultear bid her farewell, as well promising to send her invitations for the party soon.

The fairy queen walked, alone to her thoughts.

 _"Maybe we just weren't meant to be."_

Erza was so confused by Meredy, by Ultear, by herself. She didn't even know what she meant by 'weren't.'

 _Weren't, as in, 'whatever was there', it's already over? The end of a relationship that never begun? Or weren't, as in back then? As in, Jellal and her, she and he weren't a possibility earlier, but now…_

 _Now, they had a chance?_

Meredy's voice echoed in her head.

 _"What about now?"_

It seemed Meredy took it the second way.

Erza _wanted_ to do the same.

The complication of her thoughts had her hesitating to move another step.

Did they really have a chance? After all, he was still a convict... She wrung her hands together. But Erza also knew if _now_ had already begun, she should seize her door of opportunity as soon as possible. Like the next time she saw him.

Suddenly, the doors of the guild hall were pulled open and Erza found herself facing her teammates.

Lucy raised a hand in a wave. "Hey Erza! Look at these!" She turned to Natsu and ripped a piece of paper out of his hands.

"Hey!" He complained. "Luce, that hurt!"

Gray rolled his eyes. "You sound like a spoiled princess. Can you man up and just deal with it?"

"If I sound like a princess, you sound like an Elfman!"

"What's wrong with that?" Elfman roared, appeared in the doorway, forcing Natsu to stumble forwards. "My name's manly!"

"You bastards are gonna pay!" Natsu shouted, whirling around, fists on fire.

Lucy step sided as he charged, forcing Gray and Elfman back into the guild hall, presumably to continue their fight. Still ignoring them, Lucy handed the paper to Erza.

The fairy queen took it and read.

 _The day after tomorrow, we will be hosting a party in northern Magnolia to celebrate our recent victory against Nightfrost. Lunch will be provided and contests, games and a tournament will be held. All of Fairytail is welcome to celebrate with us. Hope to see you there,_

\- _Crime Sorciere_

Erza stopped ready. In two days? That was too soon to tell him her feelings. _Maybe-_ She fingered the letter. _Maybe the next, next time you see him._

 **Hey guys! Yes, while Jelly is a weenie man, Erza isn't much braver. xD**

 **Thank you for reading! The next chapter will include some shipping stuff, involving my ships unless there are requests/reviews xD for other ships. Mine: Loke x Lucy, Natsu x Lissanna, Gray x Ultear, Gajeel x Levy, definitely Miraxus and maybe a couple of others. I will accept whatever ships you guys wanna read.** **:)**


	4. Starting a 'Party'

**Please share your thoughts on the Fairy Tail conclusion, I need to blah about it with someone. xD**

 **I'm not particularly happy with it; there was too much Nalu and Gruvia for me and Laxus got shipped with both Cana and Lisanana ( _Whaaaa?) Hell to the no, he's with Mira._ **

**_On the bright side,_ Gajeel got Levy pregnant, and Cobra and Kinana are daitng!**

 **But what really killed me is Erza and Jellal's relationship.** **Jellal got released, Erza heard but they don't meet- _What. The. Hell…_**

 **Share your thoughts!**

* * *

As Erza pondered Jellal's invitation, the rest of the guild finished rearranging the hall's benches into a rough circle, due to the Master's call for an impromptu meeting. Most of them took their spots quickly. Excluding Natsu and Gray, who stood, glaring furiously from opposite sides of the room.

They had been rudely interrupted from their fight, where Natsu had to be pulled off of the ice wizard's face. _C_ _oincidentally_ , Erza now sat a row behind Natsu, and Gray, leaning against the bar's counter was shadowed by Mira.

Makarov quieted everyone down with a loud shout, then proceeded to drown his worries in his fifth beer. Gray was one to present a question to the master, "So, Gramps, what do you think about all this?"

"The defeat of Nightfrost is quite an achievement but I've never known Crime Sorciere to be so… reckless." Makarov started on his sixth cup. He was foolishly hoping the drinks would incinerate his memory and allow him to ignore the damage his brats would cause, at least until the party was over.

 _I'm sure Jellal wouldn't intentionally put either of our guilds into danger._ He tried to reason with himself. _I just can't see what he's thinking- Oh._

Makarov chuckled lightly. _Of course,_ he covered his mouth in an attempt to hide his snorting but the effort was halfhearted. O _f course there's an ulterior motive._ He cast his gaze to that certain person, but her innocent obliviousness drew out a guwaffing, _pwhaaa!_

It was _so_ obvious now-

 _Erza._

* * *

Mira watched the master with an arched eyebrow, but made no effort to help. He was rolling across the table, still hooting like a maniac. "Sending invitations alone is dangerous enough." She chewed her lip. "But hosting a whole party?"

" _Pfff_ , who cares?" Cana took a swig from her bottle, clearly unperturbed by the live example of drinking effects. "'s long as there's company, food and free booze, I'm in."

Natsu pumped his fist into the air. "Yeah! As long as there's someone new to fight against, I'm in too!" He grinned like a kid who'd gotten everything on his wish list for Christmas and crowed, "I'm going to fight Cobra, and this time I'm going to win _so easily!_ I'll throw him into the ground so hard there's gonna be a permanent imprint- _"_

Lisanna smacked Natsu upside the head, to which he let out a complaining, "Hey! What was that for?"

"Don't be stupid." Even as she tried to make herself serious enough to reprimand him, her blue eyes danced with laughing affection. "The party's gonna have to be low key and I know you! If you and this 'Cobra' guy start a fight, you'll set a new record in Fairytail for trouble."

"'n that'd be sayin' somethin'," Laxus muttered with his eyes casually closed, hands folded behind his head, feet on the table.

Her hands on her hips, Mirajane stalked over to him with mock curiosity. "What was that Laxus?"

He opened his eyes but didn't turn to face her, vying to nonchalantly cock his head to the side instead. "Nothing."

"Are you sure? I thought I heard-"

"Well maybe you heard wrong."

" _Oh, did I-_ "

Over Mira's retort, Gray let out a disgruntled growl. "Back to the point. Gramps, what are we doing?"

Now upright, Makarov hiccupped. "If we're careful enough, I think we'll be fine. So I guess we can all go, as long as you're all on your best behavior. Although traveling together in one group… Mirajane, what do you think?"

Hearing her name, she stopped picking on Laxus and retreated to behind the bar, picking up a small scrap of paper that lay on the counter. "Let's see who's going… Erza. Natsu. Gray. Wendy. Lucy."

"Did I mention I'm coming?" Some of the guild startled as Loke popped out of thin air, slinging an arm over his celestial mage. "I won't make any trouble."

Lucy shrugged his arm off, exasperatedly huffing, "Loke, I can't just let you party! What about the other spirits?"

 _"That's the only problem?"_ Gray snickered quietly.

Loke shot him a sly wink before he returned to feigning clueless innocence. "They can party in their world?"

"Don't you say 'their' like you're not a part of them!"

"Well, as the leader and the most powerful spirt, I could've said 'my world' instead. Or would that make me sound too egotistic?" He caught Gray's eye and his trademark smirk flashed. "Though, a friend of mine once told me you like you guys that way." Even as large as his grin already was, it could still widen. "Matter of fact, I remember reading an interesting excerpt from a novel, involving the female protagonist commenting on ' _Leon_ ' and his arrogance. _Strangely, she seemed to be approving-_ I'd even call it, _'appreciating'._ "

Lucy spluttered protests that didn't reach the spirit's ears while he took the opportunity to slide over to the bar, leaning against the counter. "Mira, I promise you, I'll have Lucy's agreement by the end of the night."

His owner fumbled for her keys on her belt, found them and fiercely swiped it through the air, yelling, "Shut your mouth!"

"Mmmm,'s little better than your regular farewells." Loke laughed good-naturedly as he faded away. "See you guys soon!"

Mira's hand flew to her mouth as she giggled, her usual cheerful self again. "Doesn't sound like he's planning on changing his mind."

Lucy muttered something darkly that sounded like, " _Kill. Smug. Bastard_.", and Mira stifled another laugh. "Alright, so Loke. Me. Elfman. Lisanana…"

She pretended to be busy with refilling Makarov's drink so she wouldn't have to look at his grandson. "Well, mighty thunder god?" Sarcasm accompanied her words. "Will you be gracing us with your presence?"

"Yes." Remaining in his position, Laxus simply switched his crossed legs on the table, and didn't even glance in her direction.

She picked up an unopened bottle of wine with a strangling grip that was worrying enough for Natsu to silently slide onto a neighboring bench.

Equally blunt, Mira snapped, "The Raijinshū?"

"No."

" _Fine_."

Silence enveloped the hall.

The rest of them watched with uneasy wariness, some holding their breaths for a good couple of seconds until they deemed it safe to exhale. Silently.

Surprisingly, the first to dare to act was Levy. She timidly raised a hand, trembling slightly. "Um, I'd like to go. And uh, Gajeel- and Juvia are out on a mission so they probably won't make it."

"Of course!" Suddenly Mira's dangerously aggressive anger was gone, as if it had never been there. "Macao and Wakaba kindly volunteered to tend the bar-"

"Oh I bet they did." Romeo mumbled under his breath. "Dad, I'm going without you okay?"

"-we are if they come back early." Mira clapped her hands together. "This is going to be great!"

The prickling in Erza's stomach begged to differ.

* * *

"Fuck man, it's gonna be so goddamn awkward out there!"

Exasperation flitted through Jellal's features before he shook it away. He leaned back into his chair, swiping at a spiky bang of blue. "Erik, _please._ Just deal with them."

" _Just deal with them."_ Cobra mimicked, ducking through the low doorway of the cabin, frowning at the hastily decorated interior. "You're a hypocritical bastard- If you'd gotten your ass whipped not once, but _twice_ by the same people, you wouldn't be saying crap like that."

"Three things, smartass. First, I fought lost to Natsu too." Most of him shied away with the shame and guilt as thinking about the past always did- but a childish part of him sparked a pout. It hadn't been a fair fight-

 _Nun-uh_.

 _And if we fought now, I'd easily win._

"That doesn't mean anything now. Two, I'd never thought you'd refer to your loss as an 'ass whipping'. If I ever heard Natsu use those terms, I'd use this meeting as an excuse to beat the shit out of him."

In fact, he would do just that.

 _Later._

Stomping down his impatience, the heavenly body mage eyed Cobra. "I don't know why you wouldn't do the same... Have you gone soft?" He'd barely finished the last words before Cobra whirled around, fiercely hissing, "Never. I'll bury him six feet under."

Jellal tried not to smile. "Just don't kill him will you? And be friendly to the rest of our other guests."

Cobra's signature smirk was back. "Anyone in particular Jellal? It's cool if I'm an ass to anyone who isn't a redhead right?"

Jellal forced himself to relax and sink back into his chair with a sly smile of his own. "I forgot to mention thing number three. Miss Straus sent me a list of the guest names as I requested, and I noticed one I'd never seen before. "

Cobra's smirk faltered and his shoulders tensed cautiously.

"The name Kinana ring a bell?"

"Have you forgotten?" Cobra snarled. "I can hear your thoughts! Anything you think, I hear, way before you've even opened your mouth."

 _Irritated eh?_ "Sorry, must've slipped my mind." Jellal's smirk widened. "Either way, you might want to rethink who you're gonna be an ass to today."

 _"I know who's at the top of my list."_

"You know people might _like you,_ if you were nicer." Jellal said mildly.

"Oh and you would really know about being nice, right?" He scoffed. "Yeah, I'll take Kinana down to a deserted beach-"

"Shut up Cobra, shut up."

"-oh, and _then_ , I'll push her away and make some bullshit excuse." Cobra spat. "You still think you're nice?"

"Look," Jellal exhaled difficulty, roughly threaded a hand through his hair, welcoming the soft, mellow pain with each tug. "Okay, maybe I messed up, so what? If you think you're much better, go out there and show me how it's done."

 _Silence._ Cobra looked expressionlessly unresponsive, staring at the ground hard like he was trying to memorize it.

Then, "She doesn't remember who I am." he mumbled hollowly, voice dull. Jellal was taken back by the unusually quiet, lifeless tone. "She has no memory of who she was, before Fairytail. She's only talked to me once, and that was right before I was captured by the magic council." Turning his back on Jellal, he laughed dark and humorlessly. "Wasn't the impression I wanted to give, but I guess it's too late now."

" _Shut up and go_ _talk to her_." The vehement words easily slid out of Jellal's mouth like he'd practiced saying them, although he was unsure where the sudden, unexplainable conviction that overwhelmed his senses was coming from. "Look, this might be your only opportunity for a while, you need to take your chances and talk to her."

 _You might not know how she feels about you, but you don't know when you'll see her again._

 _"Help her_ create new memories- you _have_ to make the most of your time together…"

 _Before you realize you've made a mistake, and you'd give anything to spend just one more minute with her, before you realize you know it will- it can never happen._

Jellal flinched as Cobra whirled around furiously`. "I could throw those words- _or those thoughts_ \- right back at you, but they would never reach your ears." Jellal stiffened as Cobra stalked up, now shouting, "You know why? Because you do too much thinking! You love her and she loves you, why isn't that enough to get together instead of just _thinking_ nothing will happen?"

"Cobra!" Jellal grit his teeth. "It's not like that."

His guildmate snorted. "Yeah yeah, it's different alright, _real_ different!"

"Let's get back to the point." Jellal's voice was tight and bed. "This is about you, not me. Kinana needs to know more and you're the only one who can tell her. Go make things right. _Talk._ _"_

There was a fair pause that made Jellal wonder whether he should be preparing for a physical, and likely, violent fight.

Then Cobra abruptly asked, "Are you?"

"What?"

"Are you going to talk to your girl?"

There was a bold and possessive part of him that tightened, liking those words: _My girl._ Before Jellal mentally berated himself for _even_ thinking like that and shook it off. "Do I have a choice?"

"No."

Expecting as much, Jellal exited the cabin. "Okay then."

* * *

The pleasantries were awkward. _But they were made,_ Jellal reminded himself, pressing himself to walk harder. Cobra's soft footsteps grew loud enough for Jellal to finally hear them. _That's one thing done._

Surprisingly, things were going smoothly. Well, not any thanks to him, of course.

He sat down. Overlooked by a bar of trees, the small, grassy hill made it easy to observe the main festivities from afar without being noticed.

Jellal and Cobra made their selves helpful by avoiding attention while Ultear and Meredy voluntarily made up. Judging by the time, Jellal estimated they had already finished their welcoming speech, following with a breakdown of the planned activities, perhaps, even finished the contests?

"No, they've barely started them but Racer… Racer lost to some guy named Jet?" Cobra shook his head, half-disbelievingly, half delighted glee. "I'm gonna have to tease him for this you know."

"I won't stop you." Jellal shrugged. "What else can you hear?"

"Hmmm… Laxus won strength… The blond bimbo with the big boobs won archery, thanks to her spirit. Green haired lady won marksmanship... Oh, and weapons tournament is about to start. But I think we both know who's going to win that."

"Is that so?" Jellal brushed off the dirt that stained his cloak. "Who do you-"

"Don't play dumb!" Cobra told him. "Did I not mention earlier, _I can hear your thoughts?"_

"Fine, fine!"

"Well are you going to watch?"

"No."

"Liar."

"No, I'm not going to watch."

Cobra snorted. "Bullshit! You can't hear yourself through your own thick skull, can you?"

"Erik, I'm serious."

"So am I!"

"You can hear my thoughts but you can't hear what I'm saying? I'm _not_ going to watch!"

"I don't need to _hear_ your thoughts to _know-_ " Cobra abruptly broke off. He sat up and looked behind him. Jellal's gaze followed.

She was walking up the hill in a simple black dress, chewing her lip, looking uncertain and nervously excited at the same time. She offered him a small smile that made his heart jolt.

Jellal's eyes were instantly drawn to her beautiful, rich, scarlet red hair, gently flowing over her left shoulder. The longing to run a hand through it hit him hard like an electric shock, but at the same time, it softened him and wore away all of his worry, doubt for… _everything_. All Jellal wanted to do now was spend time with her-

"Can I call bullshit _now_?" Cobra rolled his eyes.

Jellal's gaze snapped to him, turning into a dirty glare. Erza startled a little, back stepping.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Cobra mockingly raised his hands and got up. He cast one last look at Jellal before walking, casually calling, "Remember to _be nice."_

Jellal bit back a retort that slid down his throat when she found a spot next to him and softly said, "Hey."

"Uh… Hey?"

Erza seemed to be waiting for something else but after several seconds, she looked away from him and anxiously ran a hand through her hair. Jellal couldn't help but watch.

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

Erza kept fidgeting with her hair, now braiding a couple of the fine strands together. "Yeah. I am."

"You know, there's a weapons contest right now." He cocked his head to the side. "You should uh, go and compete." He hurriedly continued on. "But I know- I mean I think- I'm uh, sure you're going to win." He lamely added. "For sure."

"Th-thanks."

"Jellal!" The man's head snapped towards the sound of his name. Cobra was standing at the foot of the hill, looking highly annoyed. "She wants to know if that's all you have! Be a man and grow a pair, okay?"

Erza shrank, red faced but Jellal's eyes narrowed and he silently mouthed something. A second later, Cobra yelled as he was sent flying upwards, then sharply yanked backwards.

Erza blinked, open mouthed, surprise overcoming her embarrassment. "Your telekinesis- it's gotten stronger."

"I guess." Jellal had never felt so awkward in his life. "So… are you going to compete?"

"Depends." She recomposed herself and tilted her head to the side. "Will you be competing too?"

"Me?" Jellal leaned away to put some space between them. He couldn't pinpoint the reason as to why he was so uncomfortable. "No."

"Why not?"

"I'm not any good with weapons."

"I disagree." Erza murmured. Her warm brown eyes met his. "You rescued-"She stumbled over her words. "You rescued me when we were kids. You had a sword then. And you were good."

It was confusing. Jellal was sure he should've been freezing up with fear, guilt, shame- something, at the mention of their past. She knew how painful every reminder was. They both did.

But strangely, only more worry died away. He almost smiled. "No, they were just bad."

"Either way." She was smiling now. Shyly. "Do you want to go compete with me?"

"You mean against you?" The corners of his mouth rose into a smile. "No thank you, I think I'll surrender now."

Erza laughed gently and Jellal's smile widened without his permission.

He really couldn't help it; he really, really _liked_ that sound. He liked hearing her happy.

 _She's happy with- when she's with me._

"Will you at least come watch me?" Erza played with her hair again. He was astonished to see she was blushing a little. "It would mean a lot. If you did."

"Okay." He got up and hesitated for a single second before instinct made him reach down. Erza had the same second of hesitation before she accepted his hand.

The moment they made contact, Jellal nearly let go. How the hell were her fingers so soft?

He self-consciously glared at his free hand. _Mine are all calloused…_

His thumb folded over the back of her hand and he thought her breath hitched a little. Maybe Erza was trying to play it off; she began leading him away.

He gladly followed.

 _Cobra, if you're still listening, stop._

 _And… thanks._


End file.
